Murray's Sturgeon Shop

Updated Review: "I returned to Murray's Sturgeon Shop recently and purchased the Nova with cream cheese and capers on a bagel—it was absolutely delicious! The Nova and cream cheese were perfectly balanced. I must highlight their exceptional customer service; the staff creates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, even when it's busy. I'll definitely be returning and highly recommend it!" Initial Review: I recently explored Murray's Sturgeon Shop, enticed by positive reviews, and my overall encounter proved satisfactory. Opting for the Lox, and Lox and Sable combo sandwiches, complemented by a mix of pickles and rugelach ( I believe that's what it is called) I entered with elevated expectations. Noteworthy was the commendable customer service, where the friendly and warm staff contributed to an enjoyable experience. The Lox sandwich was delightful. The pickles were enjoyable, and the rugelach introduced a delightful variety to the meal. Regrettably, the disappointment unfolded with the Lox and Sable combination. Despite the premium price exceeding $20, the sable and Lox struggled to shine through an overpowering layer of cream cheese. This dominance detracted from fully savoring the subtleties of the fish, falling short of the anticipated balance for a dish in this price range. While the overall experience was positive, the cream cheese issue with the Lox and Sable was a setback. A return to Murray's Sturgeon Shop is on my radar, considering exploring the fish on its own. If opting for a sandwich, I would request a lighter hand with the cream cheese to enhance the dining experience. In summary, Murray's Sturgeon Shop was a pleasant experience, and I would recommend it to others.

I've been a longtime patron of Murray's Sturgeon shop and I just had such a disappointing experience there, very sadly. In an era of diminishing customer service, I never thought I would experience that at my beloved Murray's. Long story short, I'm on a restricted diet for health reasons and asked to try something that I've never gotten before, since the prices are high, and I was told I couldn't have a taste so I bought what I thought was a small amount to try it, thinking I would get more if I liked it, and trusting the quality of their food. I not only didn't like it, I found it inedible, and said that they could throw it out since I couldn't eat it, and I was charged $9.35. I know it's my fault to have risked it, since I was told I couldn't have a taste, but as a one time courtesy for a customer who's been going there for literally decades, I'm surprised they didn't make an exception and let me at least replace it with something that I could eat. They've lost me as a loyal customer after literally 40 years (not sure it was worth that to them but apparently it was). I never post negative reviews, but I hope this review serves as a warning that if you're not sure you're going to like something at Murray's, don't risk buying it because they will charge you the full amount whether you like it or not. Super disappointing...:(

So I dropped by for lunch & ordered the pastrami on rye with mustard & a sour pickle. Soft bread the pastrami was tasty & the pickle was the icing on the cake. The man behind the counter was a true gentleman, I'm a first time customer but he treated me like I had been shopping there for years .

A classic for a reason. I got a delicious bagel, lox (smoked salmon), and cream cheese. The staff was so friendly and welcoming. With such a great location, I was able to get my bagel and eat while walking in Central Park. Highly recommend!

Visiting my son in NYC from Southern Illinois and he took me to Murray's. I teach in a college of business and my students hear a lot from me about the value proposition: the notion that people will gladly pay what you're asking as long as they feel they're getting value for their money. The lox here are expensive (literally twice as much as I pay back home), but the quality is so high that the value is beyond outstanding. Just fabulous. I wish they shipped. Also tried the chopped liver and it was just as superb. Amazing. Service just as outstanding as the food quality.

First time ordering from Murray’s in NY , being in Texas doesn’t make it easy to get appetizing other then the lox in the supermarket . Fed ex overnight delivery was smooth and easy ! The sturgeon arrived packed perfectly and still ice cold in the box while 102 degrees here yesterday morning . Great service , excellent quality , 2 lbs sliced perfectly ! Can’t wait to try there other delicious items . Thank you Ira for the personal attention to our order !

The Sturgeon was truly amazing. They have a midweek deal right now where it is four bagels and a tub of cream cheese if you purchase $44 worth of fish. This was a great deal also. Will definitely be back!

The best whitefish salad, and their knishes (kasha, sweet potato, classic) are always delicious, never disappointing. Really fine sable and sturgeon, too. The kugel can easily feed two and is a delectable sweet treat, as is the cinnamon crumb cake. Only wish the bagels were better. We can't have it all... but thanks!!

I grew up only a few blocks away from here and never went - we were Zabars loyalists. Not anymore! Murray's feels like you're going 40-50 years back in time, but don't let it deter you. The lox here is phenomenal. Loved the sturgeon and the white fish as well. Didn't get any caviar, but they have plenty. If you've got a relative that likes herring (not for me) or chopped liver, all of their stuff also looks solid. Service wise, these folks are here to help. 5/5. The only thing I'd change would be the bagel quality, but otherwise, do not miss Murray's.

I came down with an unspecified viral illness earlier this year which knocked me out for a solid week, and all I could muster the energy and appetite for was soup. I've had some great chicken soup uptown before (Salento in Washington Heights is amazing), but now that I've moved to the UWS, I was adrift once again. Some googling and yelping steered me toward Murray's Sturgeon Shop, so one day, I wrested myself from my sickbed and walked down to pick myself up some soup. The store is somewhat intimidating, as nothing is really laid out and you have to order everything over the counter, but I was able to convey my order pretty easily, and not long after, I had a frozen quart of chicken noodle soup in my possession. I guess they only sell their soups frozen, but they assured me it is frozen at peak freshness. It was $15 for the frozen quart, which felt kinda steep, but I justified it, because it could last multiple meals. I came out and let my frozen block defrost for a bit before I melted it on the stovetop. It took a while for the ice crystals to melt away, but soon enough, the warm and umami aroma of chicken soup began to emanate from my pot and penetrate my stuffed up olfactories. My frozen block made two portion of delicious soup, stuffed full of shredded chicken, carrots, and curly egg noodles. The best word I can use to describe the flavor of this soup is incredible DEPTH. Soup is not a good I often rave over, but this one is particularly good and flavorful. It cured me, just a little. Highly recommend when you're ill and craving your mother's cooking/comfort, but you're actually a grown adult who thousands of miles away from your childhood home so you just have to shell out $15 for someone else's grandma to make soup and sell you a frozen block of it. I haven't tried their fish, but based on the other reviews, I'm curious about it! Nothing in the store looked particularly nice or clean (it just looked a little musty as old delis often do), and like I mentioned, the counter is somewhat intimidating, but Murray's has the vibe of an old time establishment that knows what they're doing and does it well.

A thin little narrow shop. Fish cut to perfection as well as yummy bagels and cream cheese. The best of all, however, is their chicken noodle soup- made fresh and immediately frozen so it's fresh and perfect when you cook it to serve. A staple for the craving if you just love chicken noodle soup, or have a cold.

I had never ate here before but wanted to compare them to a local competitor who I order from regularly, at the same price point. Very disappointed. The bagel was not fresh, there was only 1 slice of lox on the bagel. That considered, the sandwich should have been half the price. Complete rip off.

Disappointing. Only fish was decent. Turkey pastrami was pressed meat. Pastrami and corned beef tough. Rye bread had a sweet taste.

I'm a huge fan of Barney Greengrass's but a friend of mine said I absolutely had to try Murray's.......she was so right!!! What a gem. AMAZING service and delicious bites. They sliced up the lox paper thin like a Surgean. We'll be back for sure. Still love my Barney's though

Forget Zabar's forget Barney Greengrass just remember Murrays. Their smoked fish is perfectly prepared and perfectly sliced to perfection, which is superb. Also, there is a wide variety of appetizing to go along. But the best part is the service, and the men behind the counter are exceptional, craftsman, and friendly in their own right, it's an absolute pleasure to do business with them.

A NY institution! Cannot imagine the UWS without it. Smoked fish! Glazed apricots! Yum.

Review is strictly for nova lox. My dining companion said it was "like a cloud in my mouth." Which I think fits: the lox here is the subtlest I've ever had, and cut very thin (and narrow). For my personal taste, though, it's actually too subtle (I could do with a bit more fish taste), but it's a certain extreme that's well worth trying.

Excellent sandwiches (the vegetarian chopped liver is a favorite), latkes, and pickles--I'll try the borscht next--and the guys working behind the counter are some of the biggest mensches in NYC! So glad to have found this gem near my office; it's the perfect place for takeout breakfast or lunch for this Nice Jewish Grrrl.

We love Murrays. It's a NYC institution. The chicken soup is the perfect penicillin when you have a cold, and they carry it in their refrigerator. The whitefish salad is the best in the city, and don't be scared of all the herrings - there's a bunch of of different types, some in wine sauce (red and white!), cream sauce, some pickled, and, of course, chopped herring. They also have various types of lox, nova, and gravlox - including the fancy kind smothered in dill and cracked pepper. All hail New York City bagel culture!!!

Great soup. Perfect for when you are sick. Crumb cake really is amazing as well, no idea why a salmon sandwich is on the picture though ...

When I'm in NYC, I eat as much smoked fish on bagels as my stomach can handle, and often I'll splurge to eat the spendy fish. This trip, I wanted sturgeon, and figured any place ballsy enough to put sturgeon in the title of their shop would know what they were doing. As I stood in the short line, I watched the staff slice others' smoked salmon into paper-thin sheets, discard the connective tissue, lovingly pile it onto paper, and weigh it out like precious metals. They don't hurry this process, but they're efficient. With two people ahead of me I was out in ten minutes with my carefully sliced pile of sturgeon, piled onto an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese: $19.50. If you're going to spend $20 on a bagel sandwich, you could do a lot worse. The sturgeon was oily with a sharp sea tang that wasn't overwhelmed by the cream cheese, and there was just the right amount of it. I guess I wish they toasted their bagels, and I probably should have asked. But it was 20 degrees out that day and any warmth wouldn't have lasted long, as I walked through the park for thirty blocks taking bites.

Sugar was added to the chopped chicken liver and whitefish salad. Eastern nova can be very fatty, so tell the server what cut you want.

Several notches above your average bagel spot. The pastrami and lox are exquisite, and even their cream cheese tastes milkier & fresher. Their egg salads and fish salads looked amazing too, will have to try next time.

I wanted to give this store business, as I used to go there with my grandmother in the '60s. The service was absolutely horrible. Rude beyond! They charge 3x more than ZABARS for creme fresh and blinis. My daughter picked it up for me as I'm sick at home with covid. I didn't even want to use seamless in order for them to make more money. They couldn't care less. When I called and said I want to return, the guy said no. He can't. Even those these are sealed bought items. Let them go out of business. They deserve it.

I have lived on the UWS for a bissel of decades. Fortunatly Murrays is a shlep! (Or i would be broke!) Whenever I want to treat my self like a pharaoh i go there. I had a desire for some Chopped Herring salad. That I can get anywhere, But not like murray's! This is the manna of herring salads. "Like Butter" try a little? You will be back.

Murray's is just around the corner from where I live but I'd be willing to travel miles for his Nova. His bagels are a perfect breakfast and it's a standard lunch stop for me. I look at the glass display and have whatever tempts me. more photos here - http://robertiulo.com/2017/12/murrays-sturgeon-shop-2/

Had a bit of my friend's bagel and lox and thought it was great. I also tried the spinach egg salad, tuna salad, potato salad, coleslaw, full sour pickles and raspberry rugelach. The tuna and coleslaw were my favorite. Rugelach was decent but not too special. Friendly service.

Top Notch place, a rare find to buy smoked fish and sturgeon products. Staff is very gracious and if you're into supporting small businesses, this is an ideal spot to frequent and shop.

Food was okay. BUT ... I ordered a smoked salmon "sandwich" and a sturgeon "sandwich", both on plain bagels (in addition to other items). Each "sandwich" contained at most 2 ounces (i.e., 1-2 thin slices) of fish. The charge for the two "sandwiches" and a total of 3, maybe 4, ounces of fish was $32.70. That is obscene price gouging! I will not order online from Murray's again unless they make a point of providing a fair return for the prices being charged.

My boyfriend and I LOVE coming to Murray's we usually get sable but today it's going to be white fish!!! We have been coming here forever,for him ever more!!!! If u love kosher this is the place

Disappointment. Pastrami was ice cold with blah taste bread for $9.50 . Roast beef was so raw that there was blood dripping. Overall not very flavorful. But i didnt try any smoked fish and server was super nice ans sweet.

This is the best place to get smoked fish on the upper West side. The employees make an art out of slicing nova, and they yield wonderfully thin slices. I also like their white fish, smoked trout, and my husband loves their vegetable chopped liver.

An egg salad sandwich my grandma would make. The perfect lunch. But be aware- it is a summer borscht. Cucumber brunoise so yum- for summer. Thank you for the flavors of the past in my present xoxox

5 stars sometimes is not enough for an establishment and that's certainly the case for Murray's Sturgeon Shop. We just moved to the area but have already been here over a dozen times. This is a place to get honest food, excellent service in a clean and friendly environment. This is true gem in the UWS. Our fridge is always stocked with their fluffy tuna salad, quarts of borscht and other soups like their potato leek and split pea. We always get some sliced pastrami and of course, lox and smoked fish and bagel chips. Service is always nice and every order is accurate. Each person takes great care in putting your order together and it's one of the few places that truly appreciate your business. This is a special place - you must try it :)

Let me start by saying I'm vegetarian. Or, I was until I walked in to Murray's... The pastrami is to die for. The pickles too. I got both half sour and regular. And come slow and latkes, and vegetarian paté. And crumbcake and rugelah. I can't wait to return.

Any rating under 5 stars is clearly the work of a communist. Murray's, standing triumphant inside the heavenly gates of whitefish Valhalla with the likes of Barney Greengrass and Russ & Daughters. A sturgeon bagel and cream cheese reminder of what you will be missing if you leave New York city. Do not even think of coming around Manhattan without stopping in for a toasted whitefish salad bagel with capers, cream cheese and tomato. New York Institution.

Just what the doctor ordered. Tasty nova smoked salmon, moist and delicious whitefish, creamed herring with onions (and they weigh it before adding the onions and cream). And the counter men are also pleasant, not surly or curt!!

The place to go for smoked fish in NYC! I I also love their herring and salads. If you are open minded try the vegi chopped liver, it's awesome(the real stuff is great but I love the vegi one for some reason)

Murrays Sturgeon Shop seems stuck in time both in the esthetics and in the amazing quality of its food product. I have found them to consistently have the highest quality smoked, pickled and nova salmon, sturgeon and herring. And servings are always carefully and mindfully prepared, in a manner that has been lost in the modern fast food fast serve mentality. This is not a restaurant, you can only buy fish, deli meats and spreads- but it's amazing and worth the price.

I usually go to Zabar's because they have such a large selection of food, but the nova at Murray's is delicious. The store has not changed in the 40 years I've lived in the neighborhood. It is definitely a gem.

Great quality fish, Super friendly and informative service. Really well laid out and obviously high-quality.

This has the charm and character of old New York I am drawn to everything that represents my growing up here. The Nova, White Fish and Sturgeon are first-rate, but the chopped liver is as good as my grandmother's. Sunday brunch is not Sunday Brunch without Murrays. Oscar and Ira are fixtures. They are surgeons when it comes to shaving or cutting the Nova.

While Murray's is obviously an UWS staple with smoked fish and pickles to boot, I feel like it is an example of a store that is overwhelmed after being featured on Groupon. That's how it felt today, anyway. Now, the Groupon does expire in two days, so there is obviously a rush from regulars and newbies alike. The prices are calculated by hand, so the system for ordering -- and, when you throw Groupon into the mix, trying to hit a target of $25 -- makes things slow and, at almost closing time, nerve-wracking. Ordering was a bit rushed. In the end, my gefilte fish was good ($2.99/each), and my latke had some nice texture ($1/each). I can't wait for my tongue sandwich ($30/lb) tomorrow! And maybe, if the tongue and/or white fish salad I bought ($4.50/lb) blow me out of the water, I'll be back to try the smoked fish (not applicable with the Groupon deal) and update this review.

Best lox on the Upper West Side. Best sturgeon on the Upper West Side. Best whitefish on the Upper West Side.

Brought back memories of my childhood in The Bronx. The price with shipping is fair. It's worth every penny. Only trouble is you will try to eat a pound at one sitting. My eldest daughter never tried it. She likes lox but didn't think the white fish would be as good. 1/2 pound later........... ,

From the outside, it may not look like much, but Murray's is THE staple of NYC gourmet and specialty seafood. For 100 years this place was an undiscovered gem, but lately its Hollywood East as bi-costal jet-sets are interspersed in long lines with neighborhood types. I guess being able to picnic on the beach in Malibu with Murray's whitefish gives LA folk real East Coast cred.

Excellent fish, a New York institution, though I'd recommend getting your bagels elsewhere

Although I have always liked the nova at Murray's, unfortunately I have to give a bad review now. I was visiting a friend in Maine and wanted to provide a weekend brunch for my host. I sent in an online order for about $200 worth of smoked fish and bagels. When the order didn't arrive on the Friday before the weekend, I called Murray's and was told that the website never transmitted the order to the shop. He kind of suggested that the fault was mine and made no effort to correct their error--no attempt to make a Saturday delivery, no apologies, no nothing. They have lost one customer.

The legendary Murray's Sturgeon Shop has been around since 1945! I love this place! A real old-time New York shop still operating the way they always have. A nice old neon sign out front, old time clock on the wall, and of course a fantastic selection of nova, sturgeon, white fish, and others as well as many other kosher items. This is the type of place that New York is all about, you have to check it out!

I cringed at the $16.75 price tag for a quarter-pound of sturgeon, but one bite turned that frown upside down. Luscious, rich, delicately smokey, flavorful but by no means overwhelmingly fishy. Also, if you buy $25 worth of smoked seafood, I believe they throw in some bagels and cream cheese. Finally, the guy at the counter was really nice. Great place.

The eponymous sturgeon is wonderful, but the bagel was pretty terrible. My protip would be to buy bagels somewhere else (Lenny's or Absolute[really this one]) and combine them with Murray's fine fish.

An amazing upper west side staple. I don't get smoked fish anywhere else because Murray's always tastes the best (specifically the lox and smoked salmon). I also LOVE their turkey pastrami and chopped liver. I always get their chicken soup whenever I'm under the weather and I swear it works magic on my colds! An overlooked must - the crumb cake. YOU NEED TO TRY it!

There may not be as sacred a space in all of Manhattan than the tiny counter that is Murray's. The nova is, of course, a dream - cut by countermen who approach their task with artistry and calm. The store may be named for its sturgeon, but the sable is the main event. And the borscht, I could write a song! In a city of rapacious landlords and constant change, may Murray's remain forever.

The best lox I have ever had. Evah!!!! The white fish, chicken noodle soup, and egg salad were also excellent. The food will be the talk of the party. I can't wait to return.

There are many shops of this genre on the Upper West Side, and I have tried most of them. To me, Murray's beats them all on two above-the-rest offerings: creamed herring and chopped chicken liver. I buy these only here.

Great food and great service. They deliver locally and ship across the country. The order I placed arrived in California refrigerator-cold the next day, a real tonic in tough times.

I've been going to Murray's for 25 years or more and I can tell you that their smoked fish surpasses Zabars, Barney Greengrass and Fairways. First, the staff all know how to slice the fish, which is becoming a lost art. Second, they know how to produce a consistent product, each fish is perfect. Third, their other food offerings are incredibly good as well. Their sable is the best anywhere. If you haven't had sable, try it. It is more subtle than lox, and has an incredible velvety texture. Their Eastern nova is superb; you can get cheaper by going to Broadway Farms, but it won't be as good. Pickled lox is hard to find, theirs is great. They also have three kinds of herring - you have to go to Russ & Daughters for a better selection. the schmaltz herring is fantastic. The whitefish is good, but honestly, the stuff at Costco is good too and 1/3 the price- and that includes the whitefish salad. Their soups are surprisingly good. Only my Mother makes better cold borscht and the schav is fantastic on a hot summer's day. The egg salad, spinach egg salad, tuna salad, and chopped chicken livers are all fresh and delicious. Finally, my kids think that their rugelach is the best in New York. So check it out - this is a serious old time smoked fish place.